Shuhei Yoshida addresses PS4 Multiplayer Charges

A lot of questions are being asked by the fans on the caveats of the PlayStation Plus requirements for multiplayer with the upcoming PS4, and Sony Worldwide Studio President Shuhei Yoshida provided some straight answers as part of a wider interview on the Japanese gaming site Game Watch.

First of all Yoshida-san was very clear in reassuring customers that “multiplayer on PS3 and PS Vita will remain free of charge” as it is now, then he moved on to explain the reasons behind the move towards a required subscription model for the PS4.

We’re focusing on new services and online, like the “Share” button I previously mentioned and the ability to play using mobile devices with the cloud feature. Our plan is to continue to invest in the future, but investing like this is not compatible with our previous policy that involved reducing costs by every mean to keep the service free.

He also went as far as to apologize for placing an additional cost on the customers’ wallets:

I apologize for the financial burden on our users, but on PS4 it’ll also provide early access to beta versions, free games and discounts like on PS3 and PS Vita. In addition to that PS Plus members will receive for free a special edition with slightly reduced functions of DriveClub.

Interestingly enough he made sure to specify that not all online functions will be closed to those that will decide to opt-out from subscribing to the PS Plus services.

While direct competition in real time won’t be possible [without PS Plus] for instance in the case of DriveClub, asynchronous online gameplay and receiving data from other players will still be free of charge.

Finally, he was asked if players will need a PS Plus subscription to play MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and The Elder Scrolls Online:

You will need it to enjoy online multiplayer.
This will also depend on the judgement by the publishers, and there will be some free to play titles that you’ll be able to play without needing a PS Plus subscription, like PlanetSide 2 and DC Universe Online.

I'm not amused Yoshida, I'm not amused at all! I do not buy for a second that the PSN infrastructure requires a subscription charge to break even, just as I never believed it about XBL. It's bull$#@!. The expensive thing about running online gaming are servers, and publishers do that. Directly financed by game sales.

People point to the fact that PS3 had dodgy online at times, but this was a software issue - the console was not designed as a truly online system.

However, Planetisde 2 not requiring a subscription is music to my ears and I hope other publishers are able to follow suit on that

also

While direct competition in real time won’t be possible [without PS Plus] for instance in the case of DriveClub, asynchronous online gameplay and receiving data from other players will still be free of charge.

I'm glad he clarified this, it was the biggest question I had. Looks like I can buy the console and enjoy the games as intended without subscribing

Yoshida did a good job at explaining everything. I understand that everyone would prefer free online multiplayer, but I think the outcry from some fans has been ridiculous. Playing online is a service that Sony offers and one that cost a lot of money to run, especially with all the upgrades and new features that will be on the PS4. I definitely understand a need to start charging for that service as much as we wish it would stay free.

While I'm personally disappointed that it's not staying free, I also understand the reasoning for their decision. The good thing Sony is doing is they are offering value for your Plus membership, way more than Xbox Live Gold ever has. They also thankfully aren't putting other services and apps behind a pay wall like Xbox does with Netflix. PSPlus is a great service and will only get better in the future, and I think gamers should be excited about getting access to it and the free games that come along with it. I mean I'm a poor college student, I know how awesome it's been not having to pay for multiplayer on the PS3, but I also understand that Sony is a business and that running an online service is very expensive, and so I am fine paying a little bit of money to use that service, especially with the value they give you in return.

I have found it so funny to see people get so upset about it though, like it's somehow their right to have a free multiplayer service, because that's exactly what it is, a service, and if Sony feels they need to charge for it then they can do that. The entitlement of gamers sometimes can be so ridiculous. I get the desire to have free multiplayer, I really do, but this is a necessary thing for Sony to take the next step in their online services. I'm just thankful that Sony realizes that asking someone to pay a fee is a big deal and therefore wants to make sure you get a great value for your money.

What he talked about is with the offline portion there's no difference from PS3 in that every game is playable on PS4. In terms of just getting access of multiplayer online, it's now taken care of at a platform level by PS Plus. So our first party titles had the online pass on PS3 and Vita. That we are not doing on PS4 because of that platform level. It's the same for third parties; when it comes to just giving you access to online multiplayer, it's PS Plus going forward.

So basically the subscription is replacing online passes. They just have to get their pound of flesh

Finally, he was asked if players will need a PS Plus subscription to play MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and The Elder Scrolls Online:

You will need it to enjoy online multiplayer.
This will also depend on the judgement by the publishers, and there will be some free to play titles that you’ll be able to play without needing a PS Plus subscription, like PlanetSide 2 and DC Universe Online.

That's $#@!ing awesome! F2P is still F2P on PS4. I hope that includes DUST 514 and Warframe too.

So basically the subscription is replacing online passes. They just have to get their pound of flesh

I'm seriously disappointed in Sony here.

Why ? Better then have both at the same time. And still some of the online features are not behind a paywall like Netflix and F2P mmo´s. This is okay and not so restricted what MS does. Sure we all want everything for free but if you see what Sony wants to do with the PS4 online with all that instant share, streams and cloud saving you have to reduce the cost somehow. What would be the better solution ? Bump up the price of retail games to 80$ ? That would be even worse imo.

Why ? Better then have both at the same time. And still some of the online features are not behind a paywall like Netflix and F2P mmo´s. This is okay and not so restricted what MS does. Sure we all want everything for free but if you see what Sony wants to do with the PS4 online with all that instant share, streams and cloud saving you have to reduce the cost somehow. What would be the better solution ? Bump up the price of retail games to 80$ ? That would be even worse imo.

Exactly, there is so much more to the PSN than playing games online, especially with the PS4 where you have sharing and streaming of gameplay, cloud stuff, and also Gaikai stuff. All that cost a ton of money and so does multiplayer. People are acting like Sony is ripping them off or is doing something against our rights, it's just so ridiculous. Oh and subscription isn't replacing online passes. Publishers still had online passes for the Xbox which you obviously have to pay to play online. Online passes are a way for publishers to try and get back some of that used game money, it has nothing to do with the fact that PSN was free on the PS3.

That's $#@!ing awesome! F2P is still F2P on PS4. I hope that includes DUST 514 and Warframe too.

lol, slow down turbo...Planetside 2 and DCUO are SOE titles so they may be making an exception for those.
We shall see. I'm not a fan of multiplayer pay wall...but on the other hand I'm already a PS+ member and love the extras (so does my son )

Why ? Better then have both at the same time. And still some of the online features are not behind a paywall like Netflix and F2P mmo´s. This is okay and not so restricted what MS does. Sure we all want everything for free but if you see what Sony wants to do with the PS4 online with all that instant share, streams and cloud saving you have to reduce the cost somehow. What would be the better solution ? Bump up the price of retail games to 80$ ? That would be even worse imo.

Stop talking as if this is necessary. It's not. No 'solution' is needed. Games are already hugely profitable. Running an online infrastructure like PSN is not a huge financial drain. It already more than pays for itself - Sony get a cut of every game sold on the store.

Microsoft's biggest trick was to make people believe XBL gold was necessary for the ecosystem to exist. What nonsense. Steam has no subscription, Xfire has no subscription.

Um didn't he just address that? F2P will not require you to be a ps+ subscriber...it is not behind a pay wall

PS2 and DC is first party titles, but all others is third one, or i misunderstod something or he not fully clear on this

Originally Posted by Cyn

Stop talking as if this is necessary. It's not.

man, turn off "rage mode", pls!! as i sad to you in other thered you only see "pay for online" other ppl see different things and in positive way. or you prefer free online but with drm lika ms offer? i dont think so

I've had PS+ since it first arrived and will not be stopping it anytime in the near future so this doesn't really impact me but i still agree with Cyn that the precedent of having to pay for online gaming just shouldn't be made.

PS2 and DC is first party titles, but all others is third one, or i misunderstod something or he not fully clear on this

man, turn off "rage mode", pls!! as i sad to you in other thered you only see "pay for online" other ppl see different things and in positive way. or you prefer free online but with drm lika ms offer? i dont think so

I see the full picture thanks. Put an existing free service behind a pay wall. Yes very positive

DRM and online pay walls are different things. It's sad that people are weighing them up like that.

lol, slow down turbo...Planetside 2 and DCUO are SOE titles so they may be making an exception for those.
We shall see. I'm not a fan of multiplayer pay wall...but on the other hand I'm already a PS+ member and love the extras (so does my son )

CCP publishes DUST 514 and I'd wager on them keeping it infront of the paywall. He said it's upto the publisher's discretion but I dare say others will follow this. I mean, all that matters for a F2P game is the micro transactions, so if they can be made without PS+, keeps the game in the freely accessible space it's supposed to be in.

I see the full picture thanks. Put an existing free service behind a pay wall. Yes very positive

DRM and online pay walls are different things. It's sad that people are weighing them up like that.

what is full picture then?? and also i never say that pay for online is good, but in that turms you not only pay for online, you get lots of things on 3 platforms on this price + cloud - this is positive thing!! i understand that is your principle "no pay for online", and if they take 1$ your reaction will be same

what is full picture then?? and also i never say that pay for online is good, but in that turms you not only pay for online, you get lots of things on 3 platforms on this price + cloud - this is positive thing!! i understand that is your principle "no pay for online", and if they take 1$ your reaction will be same

Here is the full picture then

PS+ is great. You pay money for access to extra features and content. You stop paying, you lose access. This is fine, it's kinda like Netflix for games (with Gaikai this could be an even better comparison). So PS+ is good because it's a truly optional service that gives you tangible things.

Online gaming is covered by the game you bought. I buy Battlefield 4, I log into EA servers when I play online. What is Sony doing here exactly? Not much...

Combining PS+ with access to online gaming is a very cynical thing to do. It's unnecessary and greedy. Instead of making PS+ attractive with real content like free games, they make it necessary. This is merely speculation but don't be surprised to see those free games dry up significantly

Now when I buy BF4 - something I just spent £40 on - I have to subscribe to PS+ to play it online. That is the full picture and that sucks

For me, PS+ pays for itself in game discounts. In fact, it pays for itself in the two free games I get for the Vita alone, so, I'm going to scavenge a Best Buy for some cheap membership cards today. With the Gaikai stuff going up in 2014, I get it, this stuff doesn't pay for itself. I don't necessarily agree with the paywall, but I also get why they are doing it.

The surest sign that you are on the right side of a debate is when you find yourself against those who are stuck in the past because they have no future.

It's becoming clear that the multiplayer only will need PS+ and that limited online features (asynchronous online game play and recieving data from other players) will be free
Management of all this will be quite tricky :
- free to play with microtransactions will be handled separately so there'll be another way to pay to the publisher directly (Planetside and DC universe) for the items on such games : that's insanely good as it will allow people to have some online gaming and interactions with other players like MMORPG subscriptions
- multiplayer games for other games (I imagine big games like COD or Sony games) will require PS+ as it will require Sony servers or at least handshaking to go to such servers

Yoshida did a good job at explaining everything. I understand that everyone would prefer free online multiplayer, but I think the outcry from some fans has been ridiculous. Playing online is a service that Sony offers and one that cost a lot of money to run, especially with all the upgrades and new features that will be on the PS4. I definitely understand a need to start charging for that service as much as we wish it would stay free. While I'm personally disappointed that it's not staying free, I also understand the reasoning for their decision. The good thing Sony is doing is they are offering value for your Plus membership, way more than Xbox Live Gold ever has. They also thankfully aren't putting other services and apps behind a pay wall like Xbox does with Netflix. PSPlus is a great service and will only get better in the future, and I think gamers should be excited about getting access to it and the free games that come along with it. I mean I'm a poor college student, I know how awesome it's been not having to pay for multiplayer on the PS3, but I also understand that Sony is a business and that running an online service is very expensive, and so I am fine paying a little bit of money to use that service, especially with the value they give you in return. I have found it so funny to see people get so upset about it though, like it's somehow their right to have a free multiplayer service, because that's exactly what it is, a service, and if Sony feels they need to charge for it then they can do that. The entitlement of gamers sometimes can be so ridiculous. I get the desire to have free multiplayer, I really do, but this is a necessary thing for Sony to take the next step in their online services. I'm just thankful that Sony realizes that asking someone to pay a fee is a big deal and therefore wants to make sure you get a great value for your money.

I've come to terms with it, simply by the instant discounts and deals you'll receive.

I'm just really happy that free to play can still mean free to play. Planetside 2 will not require PS+ and that's awesome for my little cousins who don't have the money to buy a subscription and won't be able to convince their parents to buy something else on top of the console they already got them.

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